So Far: A Huntress' Life and a Huntress' Duty
by SixUnderOneXSix
Summary: Mix of So Far AU stories, will be centred around the different teams as they go on missions and so on. Will include injury. [I will be posting the So Far AU stories with "So Far:" at the beginning of the title from now on.] I do not own any of the characters or settings, these belong to Rooserteeth and Monty Oum, may he rest in peace. Rated M for blood, ending is a different story.
1. A Huntress' Return Hunt

_So Far: A Huntress' Return Hunt_

Characters: Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, Yang Xiao Long

Pairings: Whiterose, Bumblebee

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or settings, these belong to Rooserteeth and Monty Oum, may he rest in peace.

Summary: Ruby's return hunt after her injuries fighting Salem, will she be successful? Or will her fears be realised?

Outside the Walls of Vale, Emerald Forest, Beacon Training Hunt, Junior Year

Ruby spins _Crescent Rose_ in her hands, the haft of the weapon blocking the strikes of the Beowulves. Bringing the scythe into another spin the blade lops off the arm of one of the wolves while it vertically bisects another. Smiling Ruby plants _Crescent Rose_ in the ground and wipes some of the sweat off her brow. Ruby turns her good eye over the field of Grimm she'd just blown through like a tornado. That's when she sees it, claws, hair white like her girlfriend's, and blood fill her vision and everything fades to black.

-Two days earlier-

"Weiss, I don't know about this, what if I'm not completely healed?" Ruby questions as Weiss quickly places a finger over her girlfriend's lips. Weiss glowers at Ruby, _for one of the most optimistic people I know she's really doubtful about this_. Weiss takes Ruby's hand and guides it to Crescent Rose, the red and white coloured weapon's blade sticking out of the training ground floor.

"Come on Ruby, we know you can feel heat and cold in your destroyed nerve endings, so when we get back we'll modify _Crescent_ accordingly, but for this hunt you have to be capable of wielding _Crescent_ without that modification. Now let's run the exercise again, Training Drone on 12?" Weiss explains to her un-confidant girlfriend. Ruby nods and Weiss steps back, drawing _RoseMyr_ from _Myrtenaster_ 's former scabbard, this will help her to focus her glyphs as she summons a Beowulf for Ruby to fight.

The white and blue glowing Beowulf charges forward at normal speed, then swings out strikes at quick intervals to drive Ruby back as Weiss puppets the Summon along. Ruby twists into a backflip bringing _Crescent Rose_ up and stepping forward spinning the large scythe about her. The large curved blade makes short work of the Beowulf as Weiss summons two more, already beginning to feel the strain. _No! If Ruby can do this, so can I._ With a renewed determination Weiss growls, forcing the two Summons to stabilise in form and attack Ruby at once. Though as the two Beowulves make their strikes they suddenly pass through a cloud of rose petals, Ruby appearing a short distance above them.

A smile covers the red clad girls face as she fires the heavy calibre sniper to accelerate downwards, her body spinning along with _Crescent Rose_ , and tearing the Beowulves to shreds almost as quickly as they'd attempted their attack. Of course now Weiss allows her head to hang low, they'd been at this for hours before Ruby had managed to kill two opponents at once. Nodding to Ruby that she'd done well Weiss sits down on the floor, not caring about dirtying her clothes.

"Nice job Dolt… can we rest please before we start training again? We've still got all afternoon to continue perfecting this," Weiss groans out, when Ruby's gloved hand encircles hers and helps her up.

"Of course my Princess, though we're gonna have to work on your stamina, maybe you should start working out with me more?" Ruby's asks simply as Weiss only nods in response. "Cool then let's get lunch, I'm starved!"

Beacon Academy Rebuilt, RWBY Dorm, That Night

Yang smiles as she watches Ruby and Weiss enter the room, both soaked with sweat and leaning on the other for support.

"So what'd ya guys do?" Yang asks innocently, _I know what they did… They've been goin at it! You people think I'm right right?_ Blake hushed her girlfriend with a hand over her mouth before Yang can continue.

"Let then be dear, they're tired. It's obvious that they're too inexperienced to do _it_ as well as we can and not seem so tired, unless of course they're _better_ than we are?" Blake questions with a smirk growing ever larger on her face. Weiss turns to glare at the Faunus.

"I… oh screw it… Think what you want, Ruby and I are going straight to bed," Weiss grunts as she grabs her nightwear and walks into the bathroom, the same one Ruby was still in.

"W-Weiss!" Ruby shouts. Yang and Blake are on the edge of the bed straining to tell what the mumbles behind the closed door are. "Oh… o-o-okay."

Yet after that they hear nothing and see no one come out and just continue to stare at the door waiting for something, anything, to happen. Roughly thirty minutes pass and both Ruby and Weiss leave the bathroom, hair wet from a shower and changed into their night clothes.

Amber and lilac eyes track the red and white pair who crawl into bed together Weiss settling in as small spoon, while Ruby curls around her protectively. The Bumblebee pair stares wide-eyed at the actions of the newer couple, unable to comprehend what just happened.

"What did we just see?" Yang asks Blake. In response the Cat Faunus says nothing except marking her book and snuggling into Yang.

"I don't know, but I think that it's time for bed, because I don't want to think about what just happened."

-Beginning of the Hunt-

Outside the Walls of Vale, Emerald Forest, Beacon Training Hunt, Junior Year

The Airship sets down in a clearing about a klick away from the extermination zone that Team RWBY had been given. The assignment was optional, and Ruby had been about to pass it up when the encouragement of her team had given reason otherwise. The three other members of RWBY knew what was bothering the youngest, they knew she was worried she wouldn't be able to do it, but they knew differently.

Ruby jumps out of the back and brings _Crescent Rose_ up in rifle form. Weiss is next, landing directly behind her girlfriend with _RoseMyr_ at the ready. Blake and Yang land at the same time, the blonde slamming her metal hand into the dirt and leaving a divot, before pounding her fists together. With all of Team RWBY at the ready they slowly begin moving forward. The idea being that their presence would draw the Grimm to them and make it so they'd be playing defense, where it'd be easier to keep an eye on each other.

The plan wasn't as effective as they'd hoped though, as only a few Grimm were dumb enough to brave RWBY's kill zone, and the Grimm paid dearly for their stupidity. Having reached the centre of the Extermination zone and not having encountered more than a couple of Creeps and Beowulves Ruby decides to split the team.

"Weiss? You and I will go left circle back here and kill anything in the way. Yang and Blake circle right, burn it all. No Grimm walk out of our zone, clear?" Ruby asks plainly as the other three women nod in answer. "Good then let's get this done, I don't feel like being out here for more than a couple of hours."

Breaking apart Ruby and Weiss head left each with their weapon at the ready. Ruby's eye glows as the sunrise breaks the crest of the forest and pours over the land.

"Ruby, I'm sorry if we pushed you to do this… I know you don't think you're ready, and I know you think you might get hurt…" Weiss is cut off though as Ruby puts a hand on her shoulder. Weiss stares at Ruby's single sad eye.

"Weiss, I internalised my problem, it wasn't so much myself that I was worried about getting hurt… I was worried about one of you guys getting hurt because I messed up. I was worried it'd be a repeat of the Grimm Dragon… I just didn't want to be the cause of someone getting hurt is all Weiss. I'm sorry if I made this hard on you, and everyone else by extension," Ruby explains as she quickly turns Crescent coming up into a firing position.

Weiss sees it a second before it breaks through the underbrush. The Ursa Major jumps out of the bush sending Weiss and Ruby tumbling away from each other to avoid being caught under it. Weiss quickly Summons The Giant Armour, the Summon rearing its head back and drawing the great sword. Charging forward the Ursa Major turns, only for Ruby to be coming down towards it _Crescent Rose_ unfurled to her full beauty. A quick spin and Ruby swipes though the Major's neck as if it was paper. That's when it happens; Beowulves, Boarbatusks, And Creeps attacked the pair en mass.

-Elsewhere-

Yang turns as she hears the sound of a heavy calibre rifle going off. A fast shared glance with Blake and the Bumblebee pair is charging after the other half of the team.

Yang skids to a stop as claws from a very angry Beowulf slice through the air above her head. Digging her metal fingers into the ground Yang catches something solid and flips herself up and into the air. The Beowulf cocks its head to the side before looking up as shotgun round fly downward, blowing the creature's head into nothing. Landing Yang blows some hair out of her face.

"Looks like Weiss and Ruby will have to manage," Blake growls. Yang only hrmphs in response and slams her fists together.

"Then let's end this quick" Yang barks at her partner.

-Back with Ruby and Weiss-

Ruby spins blocking another strike with _Crescent_ , but this time as she comes around she can't find Weiss, the other woman could be heard though. Weiss' voice was full of anger as she screamed obscenities at the Grimm.

"You don't separate me from her!" Ruby hears Weiss shout clearly, and even in the heat of battle Ruby's cheeks dust with a pink tinge in response. Ducking under the claws of a Beowulf Ruby twirls, using _Crescent_ to swipe the legs of the creature completely off. The Beowulf falls to the ground as Ruby fires the heavy calibre sniper rifle to propel herself into the air. Ruby flicks a switch and _Crescent_ 's blade goes to an almost 180 degree slant as she activates her Semblance and plunges the blade into the Beowulf's still trembling form. Kicking off the haft of her weapon Ruby uses the momentum to rip the blade free of the corpse, spinning the weapon about once more.

-Weiss-

Weiss growls angrily as her blade passes through the neck of a Creep who'd attempted to jump at her. _Separating us was a bad idea… I may trust her, but she's too unsure of herself_. Weiss spins the Dust revolver in _RoseMyr_ 's guard until it stops on lightning. Squeezing the trigger yellow Dust is layered upon the blade as Weiss slams the rapier into the ground, lightning electrocuting a path towards Ruby, but what surprised Weiss was that the clearing was full of disintegrating Grimm. Her eyes tracked Ruby as she planted _Crescent Rose_ into the ground, causing the white haired woman to smirk. A look of horror engulfed her only seconds later.

-Blake-

Withdrawing Gambol from another Beowulf Blake turns to see Yang slamming her metal fist into the last Creep, and final Grimm in their area. Nodding to her partner Yang and Blake both take off at a run for the White rose pair.

They skid to a stop just before the clearing as they watch Ruby plant Crescent into the ground, smiling at the smoking corpses of the Grimm around her. Blake looks to her right seeing Weiss standing there, quite clearly relieved that Ruby was okay. Yang sees it first though, a single Beowulf standing up behind the unknowing Rose. Shoving off of her planted foot Yang leaps forward. Blake sees it second, summoning a shadow clone and jumping off of it like a spring board towards their leader.

Weiss stares, the entire world seeming to be in slow motion as she watches Blake mad Yang try to reach her Rose. Weiss flicks her wrist and a glyph shoots her forward, covering the distance between herself and her girlfriend faster than Ruby herself could have. Weiss seems to practically appear right as the Beowulf's claws connect with her own face. Blood spurts from the wounds as Weiss' left cheek was shredded by the claws, the ice blue eyed woman falling on top of her girlfriend.

Yang's metallic fist connects with the Beowulf's head making a sickening crunch sound as her knuckles crack, then break, the Grimm's skull for touching her baby sister's partner. As the Grimm begins to dissolve Blake lands next to it, immediately pulling out bandages and painkillers to treat Weiss, Ruby still unconscious beneath the white haired woman.

-Two hours later, Airship home-

Ruby's injured hand is intertwined with Weiss' the pair's fingers helping to keep their hands together. Ruby was happy she could feel Weiss' body heat in that injured hand, it helped to keep her somewhat calm. The younger was currently running her good hand through Weiss' hair while she hummed soft melodies to the icy eyed woman whose left side of her face was covered in blood soaked bandages.

Sitting along the sides of the Bullhead were Yang and Blake, the former staring at the woman who had quite literally risked her life to save Ruby. The latter was feeling hollow on the inside; her friend was badly injured and bleeding out, while her best friend was clinging to her injured girlfriend crying from her one good eye. Blake couldn't help but think how sad that single silver pool looked as it watched the woman, who was arguably her best friend as much as her partner, in more ways than one, clung to life.

"This is Bullhead 241, Callsign 'AlphaCharlie 3-1', to SDC Primary Hospital. Do you copy SDC?" States the pilot as he turns and takes a look at the draining IV bag currently attached to the re-instated Schnee Heiress.

"This is SDC Primary Hospital, we copy AlphaCharlie 3-1. Please state your reasons for intrusion on a private Scroll channel," responds the controller on the other side.

"SDC Primary Hospital, we are carrying a critical injury. Deep lacerations to the left cheek, stable, but bleeding out. We need medical assistance and are requesting permission to land."

"AlphaCharlie 3-1, this is not a military hospital, take your wounded to…"

"We're talking about Weiss DUST Schnee! She is barely stable, so Dust damnit we need permission to land or I swear I'll set this bird down in your courtyard SDC Primary!" Shouts the pilot, causing the four girls in the troop hold to look at the cockpit.

"You have green light for landing, I repeat AlphaCharlie 3-1, you cleared for landing. Pad three, south side."

"... Thank you SDC Primary…"

-Three hours later-

Ruby's eye was rimmed red, her tear ducts having long run out of fluid, the streaks from her previous crying having ruined the light make-up Weiss had kept encouraging her to try. Yang sat next to her sister, arm encircled protectively around the young woman. Blake was gently rubbing Yang's arm to help keep the brawler from tearing the facility apart for information on Weiss. That's when the doctor came out, pulling off latex gloves and a sad smile on her face.

"Miss Schnee will be alright, the bleeding wasn't as bad as originally thought, but the lacerations are deep. She'll need time to recover; someone will have to help her as she won't really be able to eat many hard foods. Her jaw will be in pain as well as he injured cheek, but once her Aura is completely restored it'll only take a week or so for her to back to normal. I'm sorry to say that it will scar, but she'll be fine. I'd suggest letting her rest as much as possible, I can give whoever decides to stay with her further instructions later on, but you are free to see her now."

That was all Ruby needed to hear, as rose petals suddenly occupied the space where the red-clad woman had been. Ruby quietly entered the room, carefully walking over and taking Weiss' hand.

"I'm so sorry Weiss… This is all my fault… I… I shouldn't have been there. I-I hope y-you und-under-" Ruby can't finish the sentence before more sobs take over her form and she walks out of the room brushing past her teammates and ignoring their questions.

 _Author's Note:_

 _As you may or may not realise is that this is going to be continued in another instalment, that instalment will have some more Bumblebee and maybe some reconciliation for the roses. Also I want you all to know that your support, views, and reviews may be going unanswered but not unheard. Every one that I see, every follow, and favourite is just another reason for me to keep writing. It takes me awhile to get chapters and stories out so I apologise about cliffhangers and such. I hope you enjoy this, and I'll see you next time. I'm hoping that my next post will be my OC story or part of my Guardians & Royalty AU. Until then!_


	2. A Huntress Recovers

_So Far: A Huntress Recovers_

Characters: Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, Yang Xiao Long, Jaune Arc, Nora Valkyrie, Ren Lie, Glynda Goodwitch, and Pyrrha Nikos(Mentioned and in Flashback)

Pairings: Whiterose, Bumblebee, Renora

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or settings, these belong to Rooserteeth and Monty Oum, may he rest in peace.

Summary:

Weiss recovers from injuries, and must reconnect with a distraught Ruby. Meanwhile Yang is comforted by Blake on what this all means.

Beacon Academy Rebuilt, Medical Wing

Weiss hissed in pain as the bandages were removed from the scarred left side of her face. Glynda gingerly held up a mirror to show the heiress what she was working with, needless to say it wasn't too good. Just beneath Weiss' left eye, the same scarred earlier in her life, were four new scars still seeming bloody and raw. Each scar easily depicted where one of the Beowulf's claws had sliced through her Aura and left lasting scars once more upon the icy eyed woman's face. Weiss grumbled in disdain, she was done with scars, seeming them on anyone almost seemed to physically pain her nowadays and she yearned for the easy days, before Salem and Cinder, before the Fall of Beacon.

"How?" Weiss asks simply, her mind still not understanding how the Beowulf had cracked her Aura so easily.

"It would appear that you expended enough of your Aura in that Glyph you used to reach Ruby that it left your Aura weak. Because it was centred on your legs to keep you from tearing them off at such a high speed the claws broke through it like a knife through paper. I'm sorry Miss Schnee, the doctors say that these aren't scars which will go away with time," Glynda explains. Weiss nods in response, sitting silently and wishing she knew where her girlfriend was. The icy eyed woman hadn't seen her other half for quite awhile, the only thing she remembered through the pain killers and medicine was a foggy vision of Ruby crying over her whispering something than shooting away.

In the stead of RWBY's often fearless team leader were Blake and Yang, the latter surprisingly quiet and unresponsive, while Blake stood confused at the whole ordeal. _Where was Ruby? Why hasn't Yang said anything yet? Just what exactly is going on?_

Glynda walks out of the room to give the three teammates time to themselves. Weiss looks over at the pair beside her before Yang suddenly rushes over and gingerly hugs the fencer.

"Thank you…" was all Yang managed to say as she broke out in sobs. Weiss responded, quite surprised, by hesitantly patting Yang's shoulder.

"I…" Weiss starts.

"You saved my baby sister Weiss. You did what Blake and I couldn't, you kept her safe. So… just thank you… thank you…" Yang sobs into the shoulder of Weiss' medical gown before Blake helps draw the blonde off of the fencer.

"Where's Ruby?" Weiss questions her two team members. Yang looks downcast, still not recovered, and Blake answers.

"I haven't seen her recently. She was at the training grounds last I saw, she was… she was crying as she tore through the Training Drones Weiss. I think Ruby was really affected by your injury, you should go talk to her," Blake explains. Without any more prompting Weiss is up and grabbing her clothes. Blake pulls Yang out of the room, the blonde still shell-shocked, which was causing Blake quite the discomfort.

Beacon Academy Rebuilt, Training Grounds

Weiss walks in and watches as Jaune parries an attack from Ren before twisting and ducking beneath Nora's hammer swing. This causes the partners to hit each other and knock themselves away from Jaune. The blonde man slides his sword back into its sheath and draws the entire thing, as it slides into a broadsword form. Weiss coughs slightly, just enough to get the attention of the duellers. Jaune and the rest turn to look at Weiss.

"Hey Weiss, you sure you should be here to spar? I heard from Blake you were just released," Jaune questions the fencer as she shakes her head in answer.

"I'm not looking to spar Jaune, I'm looking for my girlfriend. I heard she was here destroying Training Drones," Weiss answers.

"She's gone, said something about visiting the memorial before talking to Headmaster Goodwitch," Nora pipes up as she stands.

"She did not look to be in the best of conditions, I honestly haven't seen her this torn up since she was first injured," Ren interjects. Weiss nods and starts to walk away when she stops and turns her head slightly.

"You know Jaune, that move was one of Pyrrha's favourites. I still remember her knocking Team CRDL down a peg with that move," Weiss says as she steps out the door. Behind her Jaune wipes the tears forming in his eyes before nodding to the other two to continue the spar. _He may not be as strong, but he was getting there_.

Team RWBY Dorm Room

Blake looks at her partner, the same one usually full of outgoing energy who hadn't even said a word since they stepped off the airship. The Cat Faunus was done playing games though, and quite huffily dropped Yang's weapons into her lap. He blonde barely caught the half of _Ember Celica_ before it dropped to the floor.

"We're gonna go spar. Get your fighting clothes on Xiao Long," Blake hisses at her partner. Instead of standing though Yang sets the shotgun gauntlet aside. "Yang Xiao Long, stand up and get dressed to fight or so help Dust I won't touch you for a month."

"Go ahead, leave me… I deserve it," Yang answers quietly. This causes Blake to take a step back, _Yang always faces thing head on, and here she is telling me to_ go _?_ Realising that something far more dangerous was happening Blake picked up the gauntlet from the bedside table and looked Yang in the eyes. The same lilac eyes which had given her comfort when she'd needed it where dead inside, unfocused and unfeeling.

"Yang, my fiery sunrise, talk to me. What's bothering you?" Blake asks, even going so far as to use Yang's pet name, as she wraps her hands around Yang's. Those hands don't curl back, they don't try to grasp Blake's hands, instead they try to withdraw.

"Just go… I don't deserve you, if I can't even keep a promise to my baby sister how am I supposed to keep one to you?" Yang barks at Blake, tears in the blonde's irises as she shouts. _So that's what this was about_ , Blake thinks to herself.

"Yang get off your ass and come with me," Blake commands.

"Why?"

"Yang Xiao Long! Get off your ASS!" Blake hiss-yells at her girlfriend before roughly grabbing the blonde's arm and pulling her from the bed. Yang reacts in an instant, spinning away from Blake she pulls her fist into a sparring position. The blonde stares at Blake, eyes unfocused by tears. "Come on Yang! Fight me!"

The brawler's arms fall to her side though and tries to walk away before Blake grabs her and spins her back around to face the ebony haired woman.

"No, just go… I can't protect you Blake, why would you want me? I can't even save my sister from a stupid Beowulf… if… if it hadn't have been for Weiss that Beo would have completely blindsided Ruby and all I would've been capable of doing was watching. So why stay!" Yang shouts, tears falling freely from her eyes. Blake quickly hugs Yang tight to her, hoping that she's giving some kind of comfort to the other woman.

"Yang, I need you to listen to me. I feel safe around you because… well because you're honest… because no matter what you'll do _everything_ in your power to protect those you love. Yang you lost an arm for me, and you'd gladly do it again, for Ruby or even Weiss. Just because Weiss was the hero today doesn't make you any less mine. We all make mistakes Yang, Ruby made one today, Weiss made one, I did too. It's part of being a Huntress, making mistakes, what makes us better is learning from them. Just because you didn't save Ruby doesn't mean you didn't do everything you could to save her. I jumped just like you did Yang, we were both late, thankfully that's why Weiss is there, to pick up the slack when the rest of us let go, just like we'll be there for her when it happens the other way. So come back Yang," Blake whispers as she struggles not to cry. Yang slowly hugs Blake back, maybe not as strong as she had before this mission, but it was still a step forward.

"This won't go away Blake… Ruby's my baby sis, and I failed her on that hunt. But I'll try to make it better, one step after the other, right?" Yang asks as she leans back to look into Blake's eyes as the ebony haired woman starts to cry. Pulling Blake back in for a still slightly off hug Yang's mind runs through the events again.

Beacon Academy Rebuilt, Fall of Beacon Memorial

Weiss' footsteps are loud as the pumps click against the stones, each one preserved from the wreckage of the original Beacon academy, blood and all. Lowering her head in shame Weiss makes her way to the small plaque set like a gravestone, surrounded by roses. Kneeling before the memorial Weiss carefully places her hand on the face of the stone.

"You know, not a day goes by that we don't think of you… especially Jaune. Losing you wasn't as hard… wasn't as hard as learn… l-learning t-t-to l-live wi-without you," Weiss chokes out as she sobs before the stone, her hand resting upon Pyrrha's name.

A fleeting memory pushes its way to the surface and Weiss raises her head, but she doesn't see the memorial, instead she looks at Pyrrha holding out her hand, Miló and Akoúō in the other.

 _"Good match Weiss, you nearly had me with that last attack," Pyrrha says with a smile as Weiss accepts the hand is pulled from the floor._

 _"Of course the 'Invincible Girl' says that… thanks for the match Pyrrha," Weiss states, a small smile of her own breaking out. She knew Pyrrha was just that person, and maybe after nearly two terms at Beacon Weiss wasn't the icy person who came here with every intention of passing on her own. "It's always nice to spar against you, you're very talented."_

 _"Well I have been training nearly my entire life, like you and the others, of course my semblance gives me a major advantage compared to others."_

 _"You are right, maybe one day I'll find a way to break that guard of yours,_ 'Invincible Girl' _. What would you do then? When you're weapons are scattered?" Weiss asks allowed. Pyrrha goes silent for a bit, and Weiss begins to wonder if she said the wrong thing._

 _"I guess I'd admit defeat, I'd clearly be outmatched, and in that case I'd have no other option. I hope that day never comes though, and if it does, I hope it's to one of our friends," Pyrrha answers and Weiss nods to the answer_.

As Weiss retracts her hands to her lap she can feel the tears falling freely along her face, and she doesn't care about the stinging feeling coming from her raw cuts. _What would you do Pyrrha? Should I chase her? Can I even keep up?_ Weiss continues to think before a hand falls on her shoulder and she tries to hide her crying as she turns around.

-Just before Weiss' release from the Medical Wing-

Beacon Academy Rebuilt, Classroom Training

Ruby shakes her head as she walks into the Training Classroom reserved for Freshmen. Her silver eyes wander the new Freshmen class as they get yelled at by the silver clad man standing in the centre of the room, a blue clad woman beside him. A small, if weak, smile spreads across the brunette's face as she walks towards the man and woman standing amoungst the Freshmen. Ruby's smile widens as she lets a memory wash over her.

 _Ruby's eyes track Pyrrha as she walks out of the changing room, having gotten back into her school uniform after their latest training class. The rest of JNPR and RWBY had gone ahead of the two to make sure that they got to class on time, of course no one thought it was weird when Ruby didn't want to leave Pyrrha to reach class alone._

 _Ruby smiled at Pyrrha as she grabbed her bag and shouldered it as she approached the younger girl._

 _"The others went ahead didn't they?" Pyrrha questions lightly. Ruby nods in answer, trying to hide the questions she wanted to ask the red head. "So why is it you waited Ruby? What's on your mind?"_

 _"Well… you see… I… I had some questions I was wondering if you could help me with Pyrrha," Ruby says, albeit with a bit of exasperation. "I… I know you like Jaune, I'm not blind Pyrrha, and I can almost guess that everyone else except he sees it. I was wondering though, do you think you might be able to help me with something?"_

 _"Well that depends, I mean the Vytal Festival will be starting soon Ruby, we won't have much time even with the professors cancelling most of our assignments and exams for the tournament. But if there's something I can do I'd be happy to help," Pyrrha says happily._

" _Well… you see, I… I think I have a problem, and it involves Weiss," Ruby begins._

" _You Ruby your partner isn't the easiest person to get along with, but you seem to be doing a good job, I really don't see how there's a problem between you two._

 _Ruby rings her hands nervously in response, fidgeting more as she avoids Pyrrha's piercing emerald green eyes. Pyrrha easily notices the uneasiness in Ruby and puts a hand on the brunette's shoulder to stop her walking. Pyrrha then manoeuvres Ruby into a position where the younger couldn't avoid her as well._

" _What is it Ruby?"_

" _I think us getting along is the problem! I, well I miss her when she's out doing stuff by herself, I can't explain it but my heart starts to speed up when I see her and I can't exactly think straight, and… worst of all I want to spend more time with her, more time then we already spend together," Ruby groans. Pyrrha smirks as she gets them walking again understands what Ruby is trying to tell her._

" _Ruby, is it possible you_ like _Weiss?"_

" _Wha… No Way! That can't be it… please let it be anything but that."_

" _What's wrong with liking Weiss?" Pyrrha questions now confused by Ruby's reaction._

" _We're partners Pyrrha! What if she doesn't… ya know… How are we supposed to work together for three more years of that's the case?"_

" _Ruby, you should tell her how you feel, if you don't it'll make your relationship as partners harder, and it would be worse if Weiss found out another way."_

" _But…"_

" _No 'buts' Ruby, you need to tell her, learn from my mistakes."_

" _Alright Pyrrha, I'll try."_

The memory fades as Ruby returns to watching the Freshmen getting thrown about by Training Drones, then she walks forward and the silver clad man walks at her.

"Miss Rose, may I ask why it is you have seen fit to disrupt our class?" Mr. Silber, the teacher, questions Ruby. The small smile returns to Ruby's face before she remembers why she's there.

"I was wondering if you had a second to talk, but it looks like you're…"

"Lianna, please take over. I'll be back after I've talked with Miss Rose. The blue clad woman nods and begins shouting at the different students. Stepping with Ruby into a side office Fel points the young woman to a chair before the desk as he takes his seat across from her. "So what do you want to talk about Ruby?"

"Well… I… I wanted to talk about my recent mission," Ruby meekly responds. Fel shakes his head and places a hand on the desk.

"Ruby, I know that you're going to request that Headmistress Goodwitch withdraw your application for next year. You think you're not fit to lead because you've made a mistake, but I think you're forgetting something. Ruby, do you remember the Fall? The effect it had on those around Vale, and more importantly around Remnant? People were afraid, they thought that more kingdoms would fall, but you and RWJNR changed that. You went to Atlas helped Weiss reconcile with her family, you found myself and Lianna trying to make a difference. You led the assault on the White Fang, helped to effect the rescue of your sister. Ruby you gathered some of the most powerful Huntsman and Huntresses in training and led them against Salem directly. _You_ defeated a Grimm Sister and ended an ancient dark ritual. Not many can say they did even one of those things. I won't tell you what to do, but I think you should remember what you've accomplished before you assume you're nothing more than a failure. Now I'm sorry but I have to get back to the class, I hope you make the right decision Ruby," Fel explains as he gets up and leaves the room. Ruby follows suit heading for the Fall Memorial.

Fel stops beside Lianna and whispers into her ear, the blue clad woman quickly exiting the classroom as Fel takes over the class and begins directing them once more.

Beacon Academy Rebuilt, Fall of Beacon Memorial

Weiss looks at Lianna Blau, the blue clad woman who'd joined RWBY, JNR, CFVY, SSSN, as well as others, in the first operation which had seen the action of so many Huntsman and Huntresses in the years since the Great War. The two women had fought side by side to take down Grimm and Salem. Weiss respected the older, now graduated, Huntress and what she had become capable of.

"Don't hide your tears Weiss there's no need to do so. Everyone cries, everyone has cried. I cried when I found out from Fel the fate of my teammates during the Fall. Their names adorn this very plaque, much like Pyrrha's, Penny's, and even Ozpin's. Even if our once illustrious headmaster isn't dead, even though Penny was rebuilt. In a way everyone died that day, and only the strongest of us managed to survive the aftermath of the Fall. We're here now though, and there's someone you need to see, someone whose about to make one of the biggest mistakes of her life. Go get your girl Weiss, I know I once had to save Fel from his own demons, much like he's done for me. Save Ruby Weiss, save her from her fears and nightmares, save her because you love her," Lianna explains and immediately Weiss is off her knees charging for Beacon tower after her girlfriend. Lianna smiles with a sad undertone as she presses her finger into the carved stone where the names of her team members were etched. _Win Breeze, Orin Leben how I miss you two, how_ we _miss you two. Sometimes I wish I could go back and change it all, let the girl Pyrrha Nikos live, swap the two of you for Fel and I, but things happened the way they did for a reason, I just hope I can continue to live with that._ Lianna turns, her electric blue eyes tracking Weiss' retreating form, _go get your girl Snow Angel, save her from herself, and do a better job than I did_.

Beacon Academy Rebuilt, Beacon Tower, Headmistress' Office

Weiss huffs as she makes it up the steps and pushes past Glynda's secretary barging into the Headmistress' office. Ruby and Glynda turn to see Weiss struggling for breath as her icy eyes focus on Ruby, malice, anger, and compassion hidden in her cold blue orbs.

"Miss Schnee, I thought of all the members of Team RWBY you'd respect common courtesy the most," Glynda groans as she rubs her temples with one hand. Weiss nods in answer before taking one full breath and correcting her posture as she moved for Ruby's side.

"I… apologise… Headmistress… I need to talk… to my partner…" Weiss gasps out clutching her knees as she doubles over. Glynda hides a smile as she stands and walks around the desk.

"Of course, Please treat the room much better than you would your dorm. I need to get some coffee anyways," Glynda says as she picks up the Beacon mug and moves out the doors. Weiss finally catches her breath and stands up to face Ruby.

"What is it Weiss?" Ruby questions, confused as to how Weiss had known not only where she was, but what she was doing. Weiss doesn't respond with words, instead she slaps Ruby over the side of the head. "What was _that_ for!"

"You utter and complete DOLT!" Weiss screeches at the top of her lungs. "You think I'd let you go and resign your position at this academy over some scratches! You must have lost some brain cells when I hit you during that hunt! Now we are going to the Training Grounds and you are going to run programs against the Training Drones until you show me that you've learned your lesson on trying to quit on me!"

"Weiss… you got hurt…" Ruby starts, but is immediately cut off as Weiss seals her lips to the brunette's.

"Ruby Rose, my ridiculous Dolt. I got hurt protecting you, and why is it you must wear that accursed mask?" Weiss asks as she gives Ruby some room to answer, the younger woman trying to lean in and continue the kiss.

"... Because… Because I took the Grimm Dragon's fire for you," Ruby answers meekly.

"You're right Ruby, so we're still not even, not until I lose an eye and half to spend months trying to relearn even the most simple of tasks. You don't get to quit just because I got hurt Ruby Rose. You told me you'd be my partner, you promised me that you'd stay by my side, and even worse you swore on your own grave that I'd never have to worry about you leaving me feeling alone. I know that this is exactly what you were afraid of Ruby, but I'll be fine. So let's go get some dinner and then I'm going to throw you through training exercises until I have to help you back to our room."

"Alright Weiss… but when you're allowed to practice and train again, you still owe me a couple of sessions to get your endurance up," Ruby answers, trying to taper off the tears of having still been accepted. Weiss groans and takes Ruby's arm.

"Fine my Dolt, but the next time we go on a mission we aren't splitting up again, that missing eye of yours is just too large a blind-spot for you to cover it by yourself."

 _Author's Note:_

 _Don't worry I'll be trying to upload a Valentine's day special and some more Guardians and Royalty here within the next week or so, I just had an idea and ran with it, but figured it be better as two chapters. I hope everyone's enjoyed these two chapters, I'll continually update this so don't worry A Huntress' Life and A Huntress' Duty isn't dead or done. I hope people like how I'm trying to keep Pyrrha somewhat involved. I'm not doing it just to keep her alive somewhat in the fandom, but as a tool for character development because Weiss' quote isn't wrong. "Losing you wasn't as hard as learning to live without you" I still don't know where that came from, but I know from experience it is true. I intend to let this have a continued effect both on cannon characters and OCs. Also the reason for the introduction of OCs Fel Silber and Lianna Blau was because I wanted to remind people that the Fall of Beacon wasn't isolated to just our beloved main characters, and I have no doubt that Huntsmen, Huntresses, and Hunter trainees along with civilians and so many others were lost in a battle which quite literally was fought in the streets. Reviews, comments, and any issues you've had with this please tell me, I'll attempt to address concerns to the story. If you don't like where I'm going with this story and it being deeper don't be too worried, I'll always try to write a bit of fluff every once in awhile._

 _Thank you for reading! Sorry for the long note._


	3. A Huntress' Struggle

_So Far: A Huntress' Struggle_

Characters: Blake Belladonna, Weiss Schnee, Team of Freshmen, Cardin Winchester, Russel Thrush, Dove Bronzewing, Sky Lark, Yang Xiao Long, Ruby Rose

Pairings: Whiterose, Bumblebee, Renora

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or settings, these belong to Rooserteeth and Monty Oum, may he rest in peace.

Summary:

Blake deals with a Freshmen team, like CRDL. Weiss intervenes, then something unexpected happens.

Beacon Academy Rebuilt, Training Rooms

Blake was tired, she'd been working through a set of training Drones for the past couple of hours. Normally the Faunus wouldn't be alone but Yang had pulled Ruby away with the exclamation 'sister time!' and Weiss was studying. So here she was, Blake Belladonna standing in the training room, soaked in sweat and weapons at her sides, all alone. The sound of boots on the ground tell Blake she isn't as alone as she thought she was.

Blake had superior hearing, it was a fact, but tired as she was her brain couldn't focus and discern whose boots they sounded like. Slowly working her way over to one of the observation benches on the room's side Blake grabbed her towel and water bottle, heading for the locker rooms. As she was about to grab the door handle a hand latched onto her shoulder pulling her backwards and spinning her around. Before the young woman was a group of four teenage boys, each one seeming quite angry.

"So you're the Faunus Bitch," growls the first, a spear across his back.

"Worse. She's a White Fang bitch, heard she helped steal an entire car of Schnee Company Dust only a couple of years ago," says another.

"And she has the nerve to show her ears here? She must be brave… or stupid," says the third.

"How bout we play fight the Faunus?" Growls the first as he swings his spear off his back. Blake may be tired, but her instincts kicked in the minute they'd touched her. She knew what was going to happen, and she'd focused on a plan while they'd been mouthing off. So when the first swung his spear towards her the tired Faunus acted with precision.

Swinging _Shroud_ up to send the spear off course away from her torso Blake brings up _Gambol_ in pistol form, firing three rounds into the boy without hesitation. The boy howls as he is forced back, luckily the bullets didn't break his Aura. Raising his eyes up he sees Blake lowered into a combat stance, her blades between her and the other boys.

"Manoeuvre 12!" Shouts the first as the three men quickly surround Blake, weapons drawn. Blake hisses, her ears folded against her skull in anger. _I'm too tired, a couple of hits and they'll down what little Aura I have left, I can't summon any shadow clones either…_ Twisting Blake spins her entire body, the same way Ruby had taught her, with her swords out. The attack catches one of the boys off guard and he takes _Gambol_ and _Shroud_ 's edges to the face, the speed of the strikes breaking his Aura and knocking him unconscious instantly. The other comes forward charging Blake with his shield. Blake was off balance, not prepared for her opponent to go down so quickly. Battered metal comes into contact with the Faunus' side at high speed, and Blake howls in pain as she rolls across the ground like a rag doll, _Shroud_ being lost from her grasp in the tumble.

"Get up Bitch!" Shouts the leader, seeming unconcerned about his teammate. Blake whimpers, her body crying out for her to stop fighting, every muscle in the poor ebony haired girl's body was on fire. _Maybe training wasn't such a good idea._ Ignoring the thought Blake struggles to her hands and knees, fingers wrapping tightly around _Gambol_. Flicking the transformation activator Blake stands and brings the pistol to bear on one of the boys. Her finger hesitates on the trigger though, failing to act Blake seems stuck in time, as the second boy clubs her across the head with his staff.

Blake's body give out, her muscles too tired to stand and her breathing ragged. Blinking a couple of times Blake sees the shadows of the three boys as silhouettes against the shining training room lights.

"Guess you aren't that good after all, let's kick the cat while she's down," their leader grunts before kicking Blake in the stomach. Pain spiking through her body because her Aura wasn't there to absorb any of the damage.

* * *

Weiss looks around, _where could Blake have gotten to? I only left her alone for a couple of hours and she said she'd be train…_ Weiss's thoughts were cut off when she headed a pained mewl from inside the next room. When she enters she sees something straight from her nightmares.

Blake is surrounded by three men, each one kicking the downed woman as hard as they can muster. Blake is covered in bloody scabs and is clutching one arm close to her stomach.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING!" Weiss' voice screeches through the echoing training room and causing the three boys to stop in their tracks. The first and closest turns to see Weiss standing in the doorway.

"Looks like the Schnee whore decided to come rescue her friend…. no way Schnee," the boy growls before a Glyph appears before them and the Knight appears in full armour, sword in hand. Standing just behind the armoured giant was Weiss Schnee, her body wreathed in blue light as she seemed to generate her own winds, eyes cold as dry ice as she walks forward holding out her hand. Another Glyph appears summoning a large sword into the woman's outstretched hand.

"Step away from my friend… and I'll leave you to the Knight instead of taking you myself," hisses the enraged Schnee. The boys stood their ground instead, seeming unconvinced by the overwhelming force opposing them.

"Nice trick girly, but you might have forgotten whore, new class, new Semblances," the Leader smirks. Raising his hand he snaps his fingers and the Knight disappears along with Weiss' summoned sword. Weiss for her part doesn't back down as she charges forward punches the lead boy in his gut.

"If you think challenging me without a weapon or Semblance will be any easier, I have news for you," Weiss hisses dangerously. Twirling the Schnee effortlessly kicks the other boy in his chest causing him to stumble backwards but Weiss, unlike Yang or even Blake, isn't built for this kind of fighting. It isn't long before the angry, wrathful, and murderous Schnee is captured by two of the boys. Incapable of getting free and lacking both her sword and Semblance Weiss is left at the mercy of her captors.

After a flurry of punches and one good hit to the stomach with the haft of his spear the leaders has Weiss on the ground as well.

"Guess we should leave now right?" one of them asked, seeming wary about staying close to the two injured girls.

"No chickening out now!" shouted the leader. "We said we'd end this today. No more parading around like nothing happened. Team RWBY has to pay for mistakes its members have made in the past. I'm done this Faunus bitch and rich Whore strutting about."

"Oh really?" questions a voice unfamiliar to any of the still standing Freshmen as Cardin, Russel, Sky, and Dove enter the room. "Hope we don't ruin the party then."

The growl is quick and only accentuates the following attack as Cardin rushes forward, drawing and swinging his mace into the Freshman leader. Russel wastes no time either, sliding his dust imbued daggers out he strikes at the second standing boy while Sky and Dove make their way to the two downed girls. Gingerly picking up the injured women both men try to ease their way out of the fighting zone, but the third Freshmen has other ideas.

Dove is holding Blake up carefully in his arms, trying to avoid her most damage body parts and swollen bruises. Of course in taking care of that he hears the click as a cocked gun is placed to his temple.

"She doesn't leave, at least alive anyway," hisses the Freshmen not currently fighting Cardin and Russel. Dove doesn't make a move though, to afraid of what might happen if her were to accidentally drop the severely hurt woman in his arms. "Put. Her. Down."

"I can't," Dove answers simply, with his resolve set Dove turns and faces the angry Freshman, activating his Aura to protect himself, then doing his best to reactivate Blake's.

"Why are you helping them? We heard the stories about what you did to the people at this school! You should be thanking us for finishing what you were obviously too _weak_ to do!" shouts the leader, which turns out to be the final straw. Cardin doesn't hold back the this time, swinging his mace around and opening up the explosive centre he uppercuts the boy with the brutal weapon. The resulting explosion sends the idiotic Freshman flying into the ceiling. The other two Freshmen turn and stare at their leader, giving CRDL the only chance they need.

Dove and Sky quickly get the injured girls out of the room, heading straight for the medical wing. Russel and Cardin have other problems to deal with. By now the boy Blake had knocked out was up and ready for another go round, while the remaining two Freshmen tried to circle around the boys to go after their real targets.

"Just let up pass, no one will know what happened?" says the second, trying to reason with the two former bullies.

"Like Hell you bastard," Cardin growls before standing in the doorway and planting his mace in the ground. Russel takes up a similar stance beside his leader, the two using their bodies to block the path for the blood-thirsty Freshmen. "You want through, than you go through us."

And go through they tried. Each of the still functioning Freshmen threw everything they had into the two men, but neither would go down. Cardin and Russel seemed intent on not responding to the attacks, or even blocking them, instead they stood their taking the hits and draining their Aura. Little did the students know they now had an audience.

Beacon Academy Rebuilt, Main Courtyard

Yang looks over at Ruby who is still hunkering down in her hood to hide from her sister's gaze. _Guess that's what I get for trying to get my little sis to wear proper clothing_ , Yang thinks to herself as she swings the pair of bags from Pink's Secret. Though the two women's personal musing were quickly cut short when a student bumped into Yang, a dangerous thing for many.

"Whatch where you're…" Yang's angry shout trails off when she sees quite the mass of students running for the training rooms. "What do you think is going on?"

"Probably some kind of duel," Ruby responds and the two follow the students towards the building.

* * *

When they get there though what they see is not what they expected. Cardin is still standing, if struggling too, while Russel has been knocked out and the Freshmen are still pounding away at the big brute in the door's path. The pair thinks nothing of the match except an endurance test, until Ruby's eyes find _Gambol Shroud_ lying forgotten on the ground. It only takes seconds for Yang to come to a conclusion, and she doesn't like it one bit.

Arming Celica and jumping out of the bleachers the burning blonde heads straight for the Freshmen, and too late do the boys realise the mistake they made. Yang's first punch breaks the shoulder of the first boy, causing him to slam into the wall and fracture his arm. The second punch breaks what litte Aura the boy could muster and leaves him with his eyes rolling back in his head. The third boy turns around right as Yang pulls her metal fist back and hits him straight in the jaw.

The crowd goes completely silent as Yang watches the boy clutch his broken jaw wailing in pain. But Yang wasn't done yet, picking up the boy by his shirt and hauling him to his feet the deadly red gleam is present in her eyes. For everyone watching they realised this hadn't just been a match. Ruby wasn't too concerned with her sister, _Yang wouldn't kill them, severely injure yes, kill no_ , so she was looking around when she found signs of Weiss' Glyphs on the ground. In that second Ruby's world becomes a single goal, _Find Weiss_.

Rose petals swirl about the boy before Ruby appears like a vengeful demon shrouded in the blood of her enemies. That single silver eye glowing with power as she stares the boy down.

"Where is my Girlfriend?" Questions the Rose, the crowd's anxiety rising as they watched the escalated fight.

"Medical wing," Cardin groans. "... Sent Dove... and Sky… with them."

The tension drops to zero as the silver eyed Huntress disappears, followed quickly by the blonde brute who'd just broken two Freshmen at least.

* * *

Beacon Academy Rebuilt, Medical Wing

Two Days Later

"Retaliating like the lot of you did didn't end the situation… but it probably saved Miss Belladonna's, and subsequently Miss Schnee's lives. You'll all have to submit formal reports on what happened, and next time, please don't break them so badly Miss Xiao Long," Glynda whispers as she walks away from Teams RWBY and CRDL, half of each lying in bed.

"Why?" Ruby asks, her hand tightly entangled with Weiss', in fact most could see that Ruby wanted to snuggle up to her _Snowflake_ , but knew better with Weiss' bruised ribs.

"Why what?" Cardin asks from the other beds. Blake and Weiss had gotten severe bruising to their ribs, as well as hairline fractures in their arms, wrists, and clavicles. Blake had three broken ribs and major internal bleeding, if Dove hadn't have gotten her to the medical wing it was likely she could have died. As such both women were sound asleep, their respective partners by their bedsides.

"Why would you help us? We never were any nicer to you than you were to us?" Yang questions.

"Because if that had been us in the middle of that floor, every single one of you would have made the same choice we did. You and Jaune, all of you were the heroes that saved Remnant, and its not because you're the best or most skilled, or even the bravest; it's because when it matters the most you still will give everything you have to save even one more human or Faunus life. It never did sink in what all this was about, not until the Fall of Beacon, and even then I was too scared to do what you all did. So I thought maybe this was my chance, a chance to make something of myself, a chance to try and heal old wounds."

"Apology accepted," Ruby whispers, going back to running a hand through Weiss' hair. Yang only nods solemnly as she too goes through soothing motions, except with Blake on the bed beside Weiss'.

* * *

 _Author's Note:_

 _Hey so I set up a poll, hope you guys like this installment, trust me I know it's dark but I thought it important to look into the fact that Blake's past will come to light, and some Huntsmen/Huntresses will take extreme issue to that. Anyways I'll have a more fluff filled/not so dark installment next time; promise. Until next time, enjoy! So I did this because as much as I hate CRDL in the first two volumes I feel like if they come back later on the Fall will have helped them to learn from some of their past mistakes. As for the Freshmen, you'll just have to wait and see, because that might not have been the end of them, sometimes people just don't know when to quit. Also I apologise if the flow seems off, I can't tell right now, something doesn't seem completely right and can't place it, tell me if you figure it out Thanks!_


	4. A Huntress's Loss

So Far: A Huntress' Loss

Characters: Blake Belladonna, Yang Xiao Long, Weiss Schnee, and Ruby Rose

Pairings: Whiterose, Bumblebee

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or settings, these belong to Rooserteeth and Monty Oum, may he rest in peace.

Summary:

Blake makes a mistake, and this time no one gets hurt, but something does.

Outside the Walls of Vale, Forever Fall Forest

Blake groaned as her legs bent to absorb the impact as she hit the ground; _how does Yang always land like that?_ Thinks the cat as she watches her girlfriend land next to her with a smirk on her face. Another groan escapes the lips of the Faunus as she awaits Yang's pun or bad joke, thankfully she is saved from such a fate. Her saviour coming in the form of a white haired Huntress-in-Training landing beside Yang.

"I swear to Oum Yang that if you make another pun, horrible joke, or even attempt a rhyme about landing strategies I will cut out your tongue," Weiss hisses. The white clad woman was rubbing her temple, the headache which had been bothering her not having gotten better despite Ruby's attempts to help her girlfriend. Of course part of the reason Weiss' headache wasn't getting better was because Yang spent the entire airship ride making bad jokes and puns.

Ruby landed next to her partner and gave Weiss a quick peck on the cheek before pointing just to the right where the group was currently.

"Professor Port asked us to scout out the area, make sure there aren't any new types of Grimm trying to worm their way into the now unclaimed territory. Remember that this is a simple mission, no risks, and _**no engagements**_ ," Ruby pauses and stares directly at Yang.

" _Why are you looking at me?!_ " Yang shouts before noticing that everyone else was looking at her too. " _Why does everyone always look at me when Ruby says that?!_ "

"Anyways," continues the red clad woman. "We're splitting into pairs so that we can move about with less likelihood of being detected. Blake and Weiss are going to serve as the stealth team, track us as we go along and be prepared to distract anything that finds us. Yang, you and I, will act like bait and draw out any Grimm. Port told us to be careful because he doesn't know what we could encounter out here now that those Beowulves and Ursi have been cleared out. Now if everyone is ready we can head out, as long as Yang promises no more rhymes, bad jokes, jokes, or puns for the rest of the mission or I'll make her eat my shoe."

Yang groans loudly and slumps over into a dejected look as she trudges along behind her sister while Weiss and Blake meet up and wait for the other pair to get a bit of distance between them.

"How's your headache?" the Faunus asks with a wry smile, knowing exactly why it was there. Weiss massages her temple a bit longer before lowering her hand to her side drawing her reconstructed rapier. _Myrtenaster_ had been so badly damaged that the White Rose pair had been forced to do a redesign on the poor sword. To be fair Blake had a hard time not admiring the improved _Myrtenaster_ , now named _Frozen Myr_.

Weiss' new rapier had a slimmer guard and Dust chamber with improved revolution and weight behind it so as to help Weiss wield the weapon properly. Of course there were a couple of attachments that Ruby had insisted upon. The first of which was the addition of an Estoc style blade which could drop out from within the very centre of _Frozen Myr_ giving Weiss an even better controlled weapon for when she needed more precision. As well the Estoc included a small four chamber cylinder of Dust cartridges so that it functioned similar to _Myrtenaster_ had, much like the entire redesign went. Blake remembered all too well the anger and argument filled nights of Ruby and Weiss trying to blend the functionality and flare Ruby wanted with Weiss' regality and simplicity. What had resulted was a fine feat of engineering, one that Weiss would never have been capable of pulling off on her own before dating Ruby. In the end though Weiss had quickly fallen in love with _Frozen Myr_ and Blake happy for the other woman.

Thinking about _Gambol Shroud_ Blake takes a look at the battered swords, she'd had them for so long now it was no wonder they looked like they'd seen a war; probably because they in fact, had seen a war. Making certain there was a fresh magazine loaded into her pistol Blake nods to other woman as she begins to lose the audible sounds of Ruby and Yang in the background. Their earlier conversation, even if it was only one question, was pushed to the wayside as they set about following the mission parameters.

The four women move relatively undetected, two of them purposely being easily noticed. Sadly the plan works a little too well for Yang and Ruby stop as a Berringel drops down before them, blocking their path. Instantly Weiss and Blake drop out of cover recognising the threat for exactly that, this though was much more a threat than usual.

Beringel's normally stand about six feet tall and three times as wide a normal human, this however was not the case with this Grimm. Slowly rising off its front arms the Grimm towers above the four women at nearly eight feet tall, it's large muscular arms nearly Yang's waist in diameter. Rearing its head back and letting a challenge call as it pounds its chest with its massive fists, the challenge call echoing through the forest. Turning to look down at the four puny women the Beringel is displeased by this meagre attempt to claim its new territory. Bringing its arms above its head and bringing them down quickly, the wyly Huntresses leaping away as the fists collide with the ground and send earth flying from the newly made divots. Roaring in anger the Grimm growls as it spots the closest of the weak creatures and charges forward, eyes never leaving the yellow thing.

Yang growls back in answer to the massive Beringel as her eyes shimmer before becoming red and she pulls her arm back.

"Yang no!!" Ruby shouts as she works the bolt on _Crescent Rose_ and fires a Gravity Dust round directly into the Beringel's head and drawing the monster's attention from her sister. Turning the scarred face and broken Grimm mask to look at the thing that had caused it such a pain the Beringel's glowing red eyes narrow on red clad thing before opening fully and becoming fire orbs of rage. Roaring angerily the Grimm sprints even faster than its charge at the yellow one to squash its annoyance under foot.

Ruby stares at the towering Grimm running at her and yelps as she activates her Semblance and splits off into three separate red objects around the Beringel's grasping hands. Reappearing in her form with her sniper-scythe's barrel trained on the back of the Beringel's head Ruby fires using the momentum to spin away from the Grimm and land next to Weiss. Turning to face the nearest of its attackers the Beringel comes face to face with Blake.

"Bumblebee!" Ruby shouts and Yang and Blake don't hesitate to act. Blake jumps backwards to give Yang room as the blonde brawler unleashes a barrage of Burn Dust shells into the Beringel's back causing it to jerk forward as Blake slices at the thick chest plate a couple of times before aptly retreating as the Beringel responded to the strikes by smashing the ground where Blake's shadow clone stood. Ruby smiles as she and Weiss nod before a time dilation Glyph appears beneath Ruby and the red clad girl zooms directly at the Grimm faster than she's ever gone before, merely by activating her Semblance within the Glyph.

The speeding Ruby slams _Crescent Rose_ 's lengthened blade into the gap between the Beringel's chest plates and buries the entire gleaming silver through the Grimm. Ruby smirks victoriously as the Beringel goes slack, but the smirk disappears as the Grimm's head comes back up and glares at her even more angrily. Ruby quickly begins tugging at her weapon to try and remove it from the monster's chest, but _Crescent Rose_ wouldn't budge. The Beringel seems to laugh as it draws up its powerful arms and curls it's hands into fists.

"RUBYYYYYY!" Weiss's ear shattering shriek pierces the air as she stares helplessly at her girlfriend at the mercy of the horrendous Grimm. The arms start their downward arc and right as they're about to connect with Ruby a blast of dust, earth, and pressure explodes outwards causing a cloud to cover the clearing and blocking Weiss' and Blake's view of what was happening.

Ruby blinks the specs of dirt out of her eyes and her gleaming silver eyes looking up to see Yang standing over her, arms up protectively and currently blocking the Beringel's finishing move on the youngest member of Team RWBY. Yang grins painfully as she swears trying to the struggle against the beast, her eyes now crimson fade back to lilac as she looks at Ruby.

"What? You didn't think Ice Queen was the only one who could take a hit right?" Yang grimaces as she's shoved to her knees by the Grimm and Ruby suddenly realises exactly where they are, even if they hadn't been in a crater just a couple of seconds ago. As her eyes lock with Yang's the elder sister's irises glow a dangerous red once more as Ruby takes a hold of _Crescent Rose_ and pulls with a renewed vigour. A Glyph appears on the Beringel's chest and _Crescent Rose_ comes free.

Weiss grumbles as sweat drips down her forehead, arm extended in concentration as _Frozen Myr_ points at her partner and teammate, flicking her wrist a speed Glyph activates beneath the pair and they're shot out from beneath the Grimm as its fist collide with the ground.

"You absolute Dolt! Next time we go to practice we are working on the Beringel finishing strategies… again!" Weiss shouts as she grabs Ruby and helps the woman to her feet. Yang grunts and holds out a hand as Blake smirks at her and pulls her up.

"If you ever do something like that again and die, I will kill you myself Yang Xiao Long," Blake growls as her smirk disappears and she fixes Yang with a death stare. Now they might be in the middle of fighting a giant Grimm and Yang might not fear many things, but at this moment Yang was absolutely terrified to her core of her girlfriend and gulped as she nodded.

The entirety of Team RWBY lines back up and turns to face the Beringel once more. The monstrous creature shakes its head and slams its fists into the ground in rage. Raising its eyes to stare at the women before it the Grimm prepares to run at them, though just as it is about to do so four figures disappear in smoke. Growling in confusion the large Grimm looks around the clearing to find the pests who'd challenged it, it doesn't look for long.

Ruby appears over the beast's head and draws _Crescent Rose_ up to its throat, holding the blade in place as Weiss drops from above and uses Ice Dust to freeze the Beringel's limbs to the ground. Yang comes next, her metal arm and _Ember_ slam into the Beringel's armoured head causing the already broken Grimm mask to crack further, of course before the beast can recover Yang flips completely, putting all her weight into a massive kick which she delivers to the Grimm's jaw and shattering it.

As the monster howls in pain Blake drops down swipes at the beast's back with _Shroud_ before jumping away and sprinting back in, the Faunus makes pass after pass slicing divers into the Beringel's limbs. On the last pass through the Beringel manages to free one of its fists and catches Blake's blades, turning its fiery eye on the black clad woman it crushes the blades in hand. Before the Grimm could free itself completely though Ruby fires _Crescent_ and spins backwards the scythe decapitating the Beringel and RWBY comes together to look at the remains of Gambol Shroud in Blake's hands.

The team waits for the body of the Grimm to disintegrate so they can collect the shards of Blake's blades before they return home. Ruby looks sadly at Blake who is was staring at the hilts of her beloved weapons. _It's been a long week, and it doesn't seem we're getting a break on it just yet_ , Ruby thinks as she takes Weiss' hand and they head over to their friend. Yang was already there trying to console Blake who had yet to say a word. Today's victory came at a price, something becoming much more constant for the Huntresses-in-Training, could it be that the war was not over?

 _A/N;_

 _So for those of you reading this I'm sorry, my computer broke and I've not yet been able to get it fixed, I'm posting from the app so quality of editing will go down, as well as any planned revisions and rewrites will be put on hold. Anyone interested in me making an actual plot to my So Far AU?_

 _Thanks for reading hope you enjoyed! Sorry if the formatting is off!_


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